The Multiplicity of Infection of Recombinant Vaccinia Virus Expressing the T7 RNA Polymerase Determines the Rescue Efficiency of Vesicular Stomatitis Virus

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has a wide range of cell tropism, making it a prototype of studying the negative-strand RNA virus (NSRV), including virus–host interactions and vaccine development. Although VSV rescue systems have been progressively optimized throughout time, the T7-based expression system is the most commonly utilized to rescue VSV. However, it remains a significant barrier for many labs. In our study, we found that rescue VSV’s efficiency is associated with the various multiplicities of infection (MOIs) of recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the T7 RNA polymerase (vTF-7.3). It works at maximum efficiency while the MOI of vTF-7.3 is 5, which is analyzed by quantitative PCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry, compared to the lowest rescue level with MOI of 1. Meanwhile, our data also suggest that purification of vTF-7.3 prior to transfection is a prerequisite for VSV rescue. Overall, our study reveals for the first time a precise correlation between vTF-7.3 and rescue efficiency, which may aid in resolving the uncertainties in the quest to build the VSV reverse genetic system.

[The short-term and long-term prognostic analysis in patients with chronic total occlusion acute non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction]

Objectives: To investigate the clinical impacts of chronic total occlusion (CTO) in acute non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) patients underwent primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: A total of 2 271 acute NSTEMI patients underwent primary PCI from China Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry were enrolled in this study and divided into the CTO group and the non-CTO group according to the angiography. The primary endpoint was in-hospital mortality and mortality during a 2-year follow-up. The secondary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) including revascularization, death, re-myocardial infarction, heart failure readmission, stroke and major bleeding. Results: Thirteen-point four percent of the total acute NSTEMI patients had concurrent CTO. In-hospital mortality (3.6% vs. 1.4%, P<0.01) and 2-year mortality (9.0% vs. 5.1%, P<0.01) were significantly higher in the CTO group than those in the non-CTO group, respectively. Multiple regression analyses showed that chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (HR 7.28, 95%CI 1.50-35.35, P=0.01) was an independent risk factor of in-hospital mortality, and advanced age (HR 1.04, 95%CI 1.01-1.07, P<0.01), and low levels of ejection fraction (HR 0.95, 95%CI 0.93-0.98, P<0.01) were independent risk factors of 2-year mortality. CTO (HR1.67, 95%CI 1.10-2.54, P=0.02) was an independent risk factor of revascularization, but not a risk factor of mortality. Conclusions: Although acute NSTEMI patients concurrent with CTO had higher mortality, CTO was only an independent risk factor of revascularization, but not of mortality. Advanced age and low levels of ejection fraction were independent risk factors of long-term death among acute NSTEMI patients.

Regulation of dynamics and densities of whitefly Bemisia tabaci by agricultural landscapes in south China

Agricultural landscape patterns can affect the population dynamics of pest insects. We selected four landscapes (flower field, mountain, river and urban) based on principal components analysis in Yunnan Province, south China. Through systematic investigation carried out in tomato fields, we intended to clarify the population dynamics and densities of Bemisia tabaci under different landscape types. During the main activity period of B. tabaci, the population densities of B. tabaci nymphs in tomato fields in the river and the urban landscape types were the highest compared to the other landscape types; the population densities of female adults in tomato fields in the river landscape type were also the highest. While the population densities of B. tabaci nymphs and female adults in the flower landscape type, no more than five individuals (ind.) 100 cm^-2 leaf in both years, were the lowest. The density of B. tabaci nymphs in the middle position of tomato plants was higher than those in the other positions, while the density of adults in the upper position of tomato plants was higher, regardless of landscape types. Our findings showed that the population growth of B. tabaci can be easily controlled by the flower landscape type.

Effect of KI Concentration in Correcting Tank on Optical Properties of PVA Polarizing Film

Polarizer is a key component of the liquid crystal display panel, and the optical properties mainly include transmittance, degree of polarization and chromaticity. Polarizer is made of a multilayer optical film, in which the PVA polarizing film is the core structure for realizing the polarization of the whole polarizer. PVA polarizing film is commonly manufactured through a multi-step craft, including rinsing, dyeing, stretching and correcting. The correction process has a significant impact on the final apparent color and optical properties of the polarizer. In this study, the KI concentration in the correcting tank, ranging from 1% to 3%, was systematically investigated. With the increase in KI concentration, the Raman vibration peak at 160 cm⁻¹ representing I5− ions gradually weakened, while the Raman vibration peak at 110 cm⁻¹ representing I3− ions gradually increased, indicating that the KI in the correcting tank changed the chemical equilibrium of polyiodide ions in PVA. Then abundant chromophore I5− ions were consumed and I3− ions generated, so that the apparent color of PVA polarizing film gradually changed from dark blue to dark gray, and the chromaticity a-value and b-value gradually increased. The change in the concentration of dichroic species (I5− and I3−) in PVA polarizing film had directly affected its transmittance in the visible range. From the UV-Vis transmittance spectrum of PVA polarizing film, when the I5− ions were consumed and I3− ions generated, the transmittance of PVA polarizing film in the region of 675–525 nm wavelength increased gradually while the polarization degree also increased.

The Infection of the Japanese Encephalitis Virus SA14-14-2 Strain Induces Lethal Peripheral Inflammatory Responses in IFNAR Deficiency Mice

The Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) is a leading cause of mosquito-borne viral encephalitis worldwide. Clinical symptoms other than encephalitis, on the other hand, are substantially more prevalent with JEV infection, demonstrating the relevance of peripheral pathophysiology. We studied the peripheral immunopathogenesis of JEV using IFNAR deficient (IFNAR^–/–) mice infected with the SA14-14-2 strain under the BSL-2. The body weight and survival rate of infected-IFNAR^–/–mice decreased significantly. Infected-IFNAR^–/–mice’s liver and spleen demonstrated obvious tissue damage and inflammatory cell infiltration. There was also extensive viral replication in the organs. IFN-α/β protein expression was dramatically elevated in peripheral tissues and serum, although the related interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) remained low in the spleen and liver of infected-IFNAR^–/–animals. Consistently, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis using RNA-sequencing of spleens showed inflammatory cytokines upregulation, such as IL-6, TNF-α, and MCP-1, and IFN-γ associated cytokine storm. The infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils in the spleen and liver of SA14-14-2-infected IFNAR^–/– mice was dramatically elevated. However, there was no significant difference in tissue damage, viral multiplication, or the production of IFNα/β and inflammatory cytokines in the brain. Infection with the JEV SA14-14-2 strain resulted in a lethal peripheral inflammatory response and organ damage without encephalitis in IFNAR^–/– mice. Our findings may help shed light on the peripheral immunopathogenesis associated with clinical JEV infection and aid in developing treatment options.

Identification of Ferroptosis-Related Genes in Alzheimer’s Disease Based on Bioinformatic Analysis

Introduction

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent cause of dementia, and emerging evidence suggests that ferroptosis is involved in the pathological process of AD.

Materials and Methods

Three microarray datasets (GSE122063, GSE37263, and GSE140829) about AD were collected from the GEO database. AD-related module genes were identified through a weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The ferroptosis-related genes were extracted from FerrDb. The apoptosis-related genes were downloaded from UniProt as a control to show the specificity of ferroptosis. The overlap was performed to obtain the module genes associated with ferroptosis and apoptosis. Then the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses and the protein-protein interaction (PPI) were conducted. Cytoscape with CytoHubba was used to identify the hub genes, and the Logistic regression was performed to distinguish the AD patients from controls.

Results

53 ferroptosis-related module genes were obtained. The GO analysis revealed that response to oxidative stress and starvation, and multicellular organismal homeostasis were the most highly enriched terms. The KEGG analysis showed that these overlapped genes were enriched not only in renal cell carcinoma pathways and central carbon metabolism in cancer, but also in autophagy-related pathways and ferroptosis. Ferroptosis-related hub genes in AD (JUN, SLC2A1, TFRC, ALB, and NFE2L2) were finally identified, which could distinguish AD patients from controls (P &lt; 0.05). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was 0.643. Apoptosis-related hub genes in AD (STAT1, MCL1, and BCL2L11) were also identified and also could distinguish AD patients from controls (P &lt; 0.05). The AUC was 0.608, which was less than the former AUC value, suggesting that ferroptosis was more special than apoptosis in AD.

Conclusion

We identified five hub genes (JUN, SLC2A1, TFRC, ALB, and NFE2L2) that are closely associated with ferroptosis in AD and can differentiate AD patients from controls. Three hub genes of apoptosis-related genes in AD (STAT1, MCL1, and BCL2L11) were also identified as a control to show the specificity of ferroptosis. JUN, SLC2A1, TFRC, ALB, and NFE2L2 are thus potential ferroptosis-related biomarkers for disease diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring.

A Nomogram for Predicting Event-Free Survival in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

OBJECTIVE

Even though childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has an encouraging survival rate in recent years, some patients are still at risk of relapse or even death. Therefore, we aimed to construct a nomogram to predict event-free survival (EFS) in patients with ALL.

METHOD

Children with newly diagnosed ALL between October 2016 and July 2021 from 18 hospitals participating in the South China children's leukemia Group (SCCLG) were recruited and randomly classified into two subsets in a 7:3 ratio (training set, n=1187; validation set, n=506). Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and multivariate Cox regression analysis were adopted to screen independent prognostic factors. Then, a nomogram can be build based on these prognostic factors to predict 1-, 2-, and 3-year EFS. Concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance and clinical utility of nomogram.

RESULT

The parameters that predicted EFS were age at diagnosis, white blood cell at diagnosis, immunophenotype, ETV6-RUNX1/TEL-AML1 gene fusion, bone marrow remission at day 15, and minimal residual disease at day 15. The nomogram incorporated the six factors and provided C-index values of 0.811 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.792-0.830] and 0.797 (95% CI = 0.769-0.825) in the training and validation set, respectively. The calibration curve and AUC revealed that the nomogram had good ability to predict 1-, 2-, and 3-year EFS. DCA also indicated that our nomogram had good clinical utility. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that EFS in the different risk groups stratified by the nomogram scores was significant differentiated.

CONCLUSION

The nomogram for predicting EFS of children with ALL has good performance and clinical utility. The model could help clinical decision-making.

Multiscale Understanding of Surface Structural Effects on High-Temperature Operational Resiliency of Layered Oxide Cathodes

The worldwide energy demand in electric vehicles and the increasing global temperature have called for development of high-energy and long-life lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) with improved high-temperature operational resiliency. However, current attention has been mostly focused on cycling aging at elevated temperature, leaving considerable gaps of knowledge in the failure mechanism, and practical control of abusive calendar aging and thermal runaway that are highly related to the eventual operational lifetime and safety performance of LIBs. Herein, using a combination of various in situ synchrotron X-ray and electron microscopy techniques, a multiscale understanding of surface structure effects involved in regulating the high-temperature operational tolerance of polycrystalline Ni-rich layered cathodes is reported. The results collectively show that an ultraconformal poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) coating can effectively prevent a LiNi_0.8 Co_0.1 Mn_0.1 O₂ cathode from undergoing undesired phase transformation and transition metal dissolution on the surface, atomic displacement, and dislocations within primary particles, intergranular cracking along the grain boundaries within secondary particles, and intensive bulk oxygen release during high state-of-charge and high-temperature aging. The present work highlights the essential role of surface structure controls in overcoming the multiscale degradation pathways of high-energy battery materials at extreme temperature.

Correlation of Circadian Rhythms of Heart Rate Variability Indices with Stress, Mood, and Sleep Status in Female Medical Workers with Night Shifts

PURPOSE

Heart rate variability (HRV) indices have been used as stress indicators. Rare studies investigated the associations of circadian rhythms of the HRV indices with the stress, mood, and sleep conditions in populations under stress.

METHODS

In total 257 female participants (203 shift workers and 54 non-shift workers) were included. All the participants completed a structured questionnaire to assess the stress, mood, and sleep conditions and performed 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram monitoring on the day away from shifts. Using epochs of 1-min or 5-min beat-to-beat intervals, the HRV indices (SDNN, RMSSD, LF, HF, LF/HF, and LFnu, SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2) were plotted as a function of time and fitted into cosine periodic curves, respectively. Three mathematical parameters based on the cosine periodic curves were extracted, MESOR (M, overall averages of the cosine curve), amplitude (A, amplitude of the peak of the cosine curve), and acrophase (θ, latency to the peak) to quantify the circadian rhythms of the HRV indices. Multivariable linear regression models were used to reveal the associations of these parameters with the clinical assessments of stress, mood, or sleep conditions, as well as with the 24-h averages of the HRV indices.

RESULTS

The parameters M and A of SDNN, RMSSD, LF, and HF, and θ of LF/HF and LFnu significantly differ between shift and non-shift workers. The parameter θ of LF/HF positively correlates with the severity of stress and anxiety. The parameter A of LF/HF and LFnu also positively correlates with daytime sleepiness and sleep fragmentation. In addition, the parameters M and A instead of θ of SDNN, RMSSD, LF, LF/HF, and LFnu significantly correlate with the 24-h averages of HRV indices.

CONCLUSION

The circadian rhythms of the HRV indices over 24 hours can, to some extent, predict the severity of stress, emotion and sleep conditions in female populations under stress.

Higher Serum Lactic Dehydrogenase is Associated with Post-Stroke Depression at Discharge

Purpose

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is one of the most common and severe psychological sequelae after stroke, negatively affecting the patient’s functional outcome and quality of life. Rapidly measurable biomarkers to predict PSD are pivotal for the optimized care and allocation of healthcare resources. Lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) levels are increased in patients with central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as cerebral infarction and hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy, which may be related to the occurrence of PSD in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients. This study aimed to investigate whether LDH levels on admission are associated with PSD at discharge.

Patients and Methods

A multicenter prospective cohort study was conducted, including all consecutive AIS patients within 7 days after symptom onset from May 2018 to October 2019. According to the distribution of LDH and the number of patients, patients were divided into equal tertiles. PSD was evaluated by DSM-V criteria and the 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17) at discharge.

Results

A total of 518 AIS patients were included. The optimal cut-off points of LDH were: lowest tertile (T1) 102–159/L, middle tertile (T2) 160–189 U/L, and upper tertile (T3) 190–520 U/L. A total of 249 patients (48.07%) were diagnosed with PSD at discharge. After adjusting for potential confounding factors, the odds ratio of T3 PSD was 1.698 (95% CI, 1.070–2.694, P=0.025), compared with T1.

Conclusion

In summary, LDH serum levels on admission are associated with PSD at discharge. Clinicians should pay more attention to the baseline LDH level in screening for PSD at discharge.

Optimization of milling parameters considering high efficiency and low carbon based on gravity search algorithm

According to the characteristics of NC milling, an approach for optimization of milling parameters considering high efficiency and low carbon based on gravity search algorithm is proposed. Taking the carbon emission and processing time as the objectives, the cutting rate, feed per tooth, and cutting width as the optimization variables. A multi-objective optimization model of NC milling parameters is established. An non-dominated sorting gravity search algorithm (NSGSA) is used to solve the multi-objective model, and the position update backoff operation is introduced. Finally, taking NC machining process as an example, the multi-objective optimization results and the single objective optimization results are compared respectively, the actual data show that when the optimization objective is high efficiency and low carbon, the processing time and carbon emissions are 173 and 192 respectively. The comparison results show that the combination of processing parameters obtained by multi-objective optimization is the best, the optimal parameter combination obtained by NSGSA algorithm is verified by grey correlation analysis, and the grey correlation degree of the optimal solution set is 0.81, which is the largest in all solution sets. This approach can help the decision-makers flexibly select the corresponding milling parameters, and provide decision-makers with flexible selection decisions suitable for various scenarios.

Cyclodextrin-Integrated PEO-Based Composite Solid Electrolytes for High-Rate and Ultrastable All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries

Poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO)-based composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) are considered as one of the most promising candidates for all-solid-state lithium batteries (ASSLBs). However, a key challenge for their further development is to solve the main issues of low ionic conductivity and poor mechanical strength, which can lead to insufficient capacity and stability. Herein, β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) is first demonstrated as a multifunctional filler that can form a continuous hydrogen bond network with the ether oxygen unit from the PEO matrix, thus improving the comprehensive performances of the PEO-based CSE. By relevant characterizations, it is demonstrated that β-CD is uniformly dispersed into the PEO substrate, inducing adequate dissociation of lithium salt and enhancing mechanical strength through hydrogen bond interactions. In a Li/Li symmetric battery, the β-CD-integrated PEO-based (PEO-LiTFSI-15% β-CD) CSE works well at a critical current density up to 1.0 mA cm^-2 and retains stable lithium plating/stripping for more than 1000 h. Such reliable properties also enable its superior performance in LiFePO₄-based ASSLBs, with specific capacities of 123.6 and 114.0 mA h g^-1 as well as about 100 and 81.8% capacity retention over 300 and 700 cycles at 1 and 2 C (1 C = 170 mA g^-1), respectively.

Ultrahigh Energy Storage Density and Efficiency in Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3-Based Ceramics via the Domain and Bandgap Engineering

Environmentally friendly lead-free dielectric ceramics have attracted wide attention because of their outstanding power density, rapid charge/dischargerate, and superior stability. Nevertheless, as a hot material in dielectric ceramic capacitors, the energy storage performance of Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃-based ceramics has been not satisfactory because of their higher remnant polarization value and low dielectric breakdown strength, which is a problem that must be urgently overcome. In this work, the (1 - x) (0.6Na_0.5Bi_0.5TiO₃ - 0.4Sr_0.7Bi_0.2TiO₃) - xBa(Mg_1/3Ta_2/3)O₃ (BNST-xBMT) systems were designed based on a dual optimization strategy of domain and bandgap to solve the above problems. As a result, a record-breaking ultrahigh energy density and excellent efficiency (W_rec = 8.58 J/cm³, η = 93.5%) were obtained simultaneously under 565 kV/cm for the BNST-0.08BMT ceramic. The introduction of Sr_0.7Bi_0.2TiO₃ induces the formation of nanodomains in BNT-based ceramics, leading to slim P-E curves, and the further modification of Mg/Ta reduces the grain sizes and increases the bandgap width, resulting in significant enhancement of the dielectric breakdown strength. Moreover, excellent stability and superior discharge performance (W_d = 4.7 J/cm³, E = 320 kV/cm) in the BNST-0.08BMT ceramic were also achieved. The results suggest that the BNST-0.08BMT ceramic shows potential applicability for dielectric energy storage ceramics. Simultaneously, the composition-design concept in the system provides a good reference for the further development of ceramic dielectric capacitors.

Surface Functionalization of Black Phosphorus via Amine Compounds and Its Impacts on the Flame Retardancy and Thermal Decomposition Behaviors of Epoxy Resin

Recently, lots of effort has been placed into stabilizing black phosphorus (BP) in the air to improve its compatibility with polymers. Herein, BP was chemically functionalized by aliphatic amine (DETA), aromatic amine (PPDA) and cyclamine (Pid) via a nucleophilic substitution reaction, aiming to develop an intensively reactive BP flame retardant for epoxy resin (EP). The -NH₂ group on BP-DETA, BP-PPDA and BP-Pid reacted with the epoxide group at different temperatures. The lowest temperature was about 150 °C for BP-DETA. The impacts of three BP-NH₂ were compared on the flame retardancy and thermal decomposition of EP. At 5 wt% loading, EP/BP-NH₂ all passed UL 94 V 0 rating. The limiting oxygen index (LOI) of EP/BP-PPDA was as high as 32.3%. The heat release rate (HRR) of EP/BP-DETA greatly decreased by 46% and char residue increased by 73.8%, whereas HRR of EP/BP-Pid decreased by 11.5% and char residue increased by 50.8%, compared with EP. Average effective heat of combustion (av-EHC) of EP/BP-Pid was lower than that of EP/BP-DETA and EP/BP-PPDA. In view of the flame-retardant mechanism, BP nanosheets functionalized with aliphatic amine and aromatic amine played a dominant role in the condensed phase, while BP functionalized with cyclamine was more effective in the gas phase.

MXene Coatings: Novel Hydrogen Permeation Barriers for Pipe Steels

MXenes are a new class of two-dimensional (2D) materials with promising applications in many fields because of their layered structure and unique performance. In particular, the physical barrier properties of two-dimensional nanosheets make them suitable as barriers against hydrogen. Herein, MXene coatings were prepared on pipe steel by a simple spin-coating process with a colloidal suspension. The hydrogen resistance was evaluated by electrochemical hydrogen permeation tests and slow strain rate tests, and the corrosion resistance was assessed by potentiodynamic polarization. The results reveal that MXene coatings offer excellent hydrogen resistance and corrosion protection by forming a barrier against diffusion. Experimentally, the hydrogen permeability of the MXene coating is one third of the substrate, and the diffusion coefficient decreases as well. The mechanistic study indicates that the hydrogen resistance of the MXene coatings is affected by the number of spin-coated layers, while the concentration of the d-MXene colloidal suspension determines the thickness of a single coating. However, damage to the sample surface caused by the colloidal suspension that contains H⁺ and F^- may limit the improvement of the hydrogen resistance. This paper reveals a new application of 2D MXene materials as a novel efficient barrier against hydrogen permeation and the subsequent alleviation of hydrogen embrittlement in the steel substrate.

A thin and multifunctional CoS@g-C3N4/Ketjen black interlayer deposited on polypropylene separator for boosting the performance of lithium-sulfur batteries

The sluggish redox kinetic and shuttle effect of polysulfides still obstruct the commercial application of lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. Herein, a nanocomposite consisting of well-dispersed and lamellar-like shape CoS anchored on g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (CoS@g-C₃N₄) is prepared firstly, and then it is integrated on a polypropylene membrane combined with little conductive Ketjen black (KB) to fabricate a multifunctional and quite thin interlayer, with a thickness of only ∼ 2.1 um and areal mass loading of ∼ 0.07 mg·cm^-2. The as-prepared interlayer firstly can capture polysulfides by Li-N bond as well as Lewis acid-base interaction between CoS and polysulfide anions (S_n^2-), and more importantly, it also displays a positive effect on catalyzing the redox conversion of intermediate polysulfides. As expected, a Li-S cell assembled with this modified separator and high sulfur content cathode displays an excellent electrochemical performance, with specific capacity of ∼ 1290 mAh g^-1 at 0.2C and a low fading rate of 0.03% per cycle after 500 cycles at 1.0C. Furthermore, a high sulfur mass loading of ∼ 4.0 mg·cm^-2 electrode paired with this multifunctional separator exhibits a stable specific capacity of ∼ 600 mAh g^-1 after 250 cycles under 0.1C. This work can give some guides to rational design a quite thin and light interlayer for improving the utilization of sulfur species, with little damage to the energy density and Li ion transportation in Li-S batteries.

Hormonal regulation of glycine decarboxylase and its relationship to oxidative stress

In both humans and rodent models, circulating glycine levels are significantly reduced in obesity, glucose intolerance, type II diabetes, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The glycine cleavage system and its rate-limiting enzyme, glycine decarboxylase (GLDC), is a major determinant of plasma glycine levels. The goals of this study were to determine if the increased expression of GLDC contributes to the reduced plasma glycine levels seen in disease states, to characterize the hormonal regulation of GLDC gene expression, and to determine if altered GLDC expression has physiological effects that might affect the development of diabetes. The findings presented here show that hepatic GLDC gene expression is elevated in mouse models of obesity and diabetes, as well as by fasting. We demonstrated that GLDC gene expression is strongly regulated by the metabolic hormones glucagon and insulin, and we identified the signaling pathways involved in this regulation. Finally, we found that GLDC expression is linked to glutathione levels, with increased expression associated with elevated levels of glutathione and reduced expression associated with a suppression of glutathione and increased cellular ROS levels. These findings suggest that the hormonal regulation of GLDC contributes not only to the changes in circulating glycine levels seen in metabolic disease, but also affects glutathione production, possibly as a defense against metabolic disease-associated oxidative stress.

Polymorphisms and haplotypes of IL2RA, IL10, IFNG, IRF5, and CCR2 are associated with Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis in children

OBJECTIVE

Cytokine storms are central to the development of Epstein-Barr virus-associated hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (EBV-HLH). Previous studies have shown that single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of cytokine genes may be associated with the development of EBV-HLH in children. As such, we investigated the association between susceptibility to EBV-HLH in children and SNPs and haplotypes of genes encoding interleukin-2 receptor subunit alpha (IL2RA), interleukin-10 (IL10), interferon gamma (IFNG), interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), and C-C chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2).

METHODS

Sixty-six children with EBV-HLH and 58 healthy EBV-seropositive controls were enrolled in this study. SNPs of IL2RA rs2104286, rs12722489, and rs11594656; IL10 rs1800896, rs1800871, and rs1800872; IFNG rs2430561, IRF5 rs2004640, and CCR2 rs1799864 were assayed and genotyped using the SNaPshot technique.

RESULTS

Frequencies of the A allele of IL2RA rs2104286 and IL10 rs1800896, and C allele of IL-10 rs1800872 were significantly higher in the EBV-HLH group than in the control group. The AA genotype of IL2RA rs2104286 and IL10 rs1800896, and the CC genotype of IL10 rs1800872 might be associated with a significantly high risk of EBV-HLH. However, the frequencies of genotypes and alleles of IL2RA rs2104286, IL10 rs1800871, IFNG rs2430561, IRF5 rs2004640, and CCR2 rs1799864 were similar in both groups. Additionally, IL2RA AGT (rs2104286-rs12722489-rs11594656) and IL10 ACC (rs1800896-rs1800871-rs1800872) haplotypes were also associated with an increased risk of EBV-HLH.

CONCLUSIONS

SNPs of IL2RA rs2104286, IL10 rs1800896 and rs1800872 and the haplotypes of IL2RA AGT and IL10 ACC were highly associated with susceptibility to EBV-HLH in children.

Development and Validation of 3-Month Major Post-Stroke Depression Prediction Nomogram After Acute Ischemic Stroke Onset

Purpose

The early detection of major post-stroke depression (PSD) is essential to optimize patient care. A major PSD prediction tool needs to be developed and validated for early screening of major PSD patients.

Patients and Methods

A total of 639 acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients from three hospitals were consecutively recruited and completed a 3-month follow-up. Sociodemographic, clinical and laboratory test data were collected on admission. With major depression criteria being met in the DSM-V, 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale For Depression (HRSD) score ≥17 at 3 months after stroke onset was regarded as the primary endpoint. Multiple imputation was used to substitute the missing values and multivariable logistic regression model was fitted to determine associated factors with a bootstrap backward selection process. The nomogram was constructed based on the regression coefficients of the associated factors. Performance of the nomogram was assessed by discrimination (C-statistics) and calibration curve.

Results

A total of 7.04% (45/639) of patients were diagnosed with major PSD at 3 months. The final logistic regression model included age, baseline NIHSS and mRS scores, educational level, calcium-phosphorus product, history of hypertension and atrial fibrillation. The model had acceptable discrimination, based on a C-statistic of 0.81 (95% CI, 0.791-0.829), with 71.1% sensitivity and 78.6% specificity. We also transformed the model to a nomogram, an easy-to-use clinical tool which could be used to facilitate the early screening of major PSD patients at 3 months.

Conclusion

We identified several associated factors of major PSD at 3 months and constructed a convenient nomogram to guide follow-up and aid accurate prognostic assessment.